The Associated Press
10/12/2003, 8:17 p.m. CT
CAMERON, La. (AP) — After three days of looking for survivors from a helicopter that crashed in the Gulf of Mexico south of here, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Sunday that it was giving up the search.
The helicopter with the Petroleum Helicopters Inc. fleet went down Friday morning with three men on board about 80 miles south of Cameron. The helicopter was on the way to an offshore oil rig.
An oil sheen, parts of the helicopter and a radio beacon signal from underwater were found in the same area, but search crews found no trace of the men on board.
Officials have said conditions were windy and that a rain squall passed through the area at about the same time the helicopter disappeared.
Ed Gatza, a manager of field human resources at PHI, said two offshore workers and a pilot were on board. Gatza said their next of kin was being notified, and he had not released the men's names.
It was uncertain if PHI ended its search also. Gatza did not immediately return a telephone call to his office late Sunday.
Another PHI helicopter crashed in August, killing three people aboard. That helicopter crashed in rainy weather about 70 miles south of Morgan City.
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